Shade bracket



Oct. 10, 1950 A. c. BARR 2,52

; SHADE BRACKET Filed Aug. 22, 1947 I I INVENTOR.

MN, MW

ATTYS.

Patented Oct. 10, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHADE BRACKET Arthur C. Barr, Madison, Wis.

Application August 22, 1947, Serial No. 770,007

This invention pertains to mounting brackets commonly used as supports and bearings for spring actuated shade and screen rollers although it is adaptable to other purposes and uses as will be apparent.

Brackets (sometimes called hangers) of the character in question are usually furnished in pairs or sets, each pair or set consisting of one having a circular opening or recess forming a bearing for the reception of the cylindrical pin at one end of the shade or other roller and another having a non-cylindrical (generally rectangular) slot or recess opening to one edge of the bracket for the reception of a non-circular (generally rectangular) spring winding pin at the other end of the roller, the pin cross-section conforming to the pin bearing portion of the slot so that it will be held therein against rotation while the roller rotates.

Some shade or screen roller brackets are mounted inside the frame, that is, directly upon the exposed faces of the pulley stiles of the window frame so that the shade or screen when unrolled will lie at or toward the sash from, the plane of the window frame trim or inside or outside siding (as the case may be) of the frame. In other arrangements the roller supporting brackets are to be mounted outside or upon the frame trim or siding so as to project away from the frame (as into a room) and so that the shade will unroll over the window opening in a plane, spaced inwardly (of the room) from the plane of the inner exposed trim or siding faces about the window frame. The terms inside and outside as used herein with reference tothe positions of the brackets for location of a shade, screen or other roller are to be understood as referring to bracket positions on the frame pulley stiling or its equivalent and. on the frame trim or siding, or its equivalent, respectively, and not as referring to the inside or outside of a building or room.

These different roller locations require different roller mounting brackets, those for the inside mounting generally being relatively flat for disposition against the oppositely facing sides of the frame pulley stiles where they occupy very little space and project minimum distances toward one another, and those for the outside mounting generally being provided with bases for disposition against the siding or trim surfaces and with standards rising from the bases there by to'space the roller engaging portions at predetermined distances outward of the frame siding or trim. It has been necessary, therefore, "to

5 Ciaims. (Cl. '248267) manufacture and stock both types of bracket sets to meet demands thereby increasing unit costs to all concerned.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide one type of bracket easily adapted to use for rollers located in either position, that is, for inside or outside (of frame) mounte ing, such type, of course, made in sets of two complementary brackets, one for reception ofthe cylindrical pin end of a roller and the other for reception of the rectangular-section pin end of the roller. The attainment of this object eliminates the necessity for separate sets or pairs of such brackets and results in decided economies from manufacture through shipment, stocking and use.

A further object is to. provide a shade bracket so constructed as to reduce the fraying of the shade along its edges due to the shade clothtraveling lengthwise of the roller and thus run ning out the ends.

Other objects as well as the advantages and.

use of the invention will be understood after reading the following description and claims and after viewing the drawing in which:

Figs. 1, 2 and 3, respectively, are top plan, front elevation and side edge elevation views of a roller mounting bracket constructed in accordance with a preferred form of the invention, the

bracket illustrated being that one of a pair which receives the rectangular-section pin of the roller;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a mounting bracket complementary to the bracket of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the bracket in this instance being that which receives the cylindrical pin of the roller;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the manner in which ears I2 may be removed,'if desired, when the bracket is to be used as an outside type;

Fig. 6 is a view of the bracket of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, showing the transformation of the bracket from an outside type to an inside type; and

Fig. '7 is an enlarged sectional view of a fragment of a bracket showing a suitable way of making the score lines. I

Brackets of the type to which the invention pertains are usually made as stampings from sheet metal although they may be made by casting or molding from'metal or plastic materials and the invention may be applied, with such modification as may be appropriate, to any such suitable materials and regardless of the method of manufacture. For illustrative purposes it may be assumed that the brackets disclosed herein are made of sheet steel, bronze, brass, copper or other metal and that they are formed by stamp ing them from sheets or strips with suitable cutting and drawing dies.

Each bracket of each set of brackets (Figs. 2 and 4, for example) may be similar to the other bracket of the set'except for the body portion which receives the cylindrical or the rectangularsection pin of the roller and which, therefore, will be formed accordingly and in the usual manner. The bracket of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 comprises a body portion 8 the central portion 9 of which is drawn or embossed away from the general plane of the sheet to provide a bell and which is slotted or recessed as at II for reception of the rectangular-section pin of a roller. This slot and its function are well known and, per se, form no part-of the invention hereof. The convex side of the bell is disposed toward the roller end and the rectangular-section or spring winding pin is received in the slot or recess II and retained therein against rotation.

Extending from each of substantially opposite sides of body 8 is an integral wing portion I2 one of which may have a circular aperture l3 and the other of which may have an elongated aperture is therethrough for the reception of screws or nails by which the bracket may be secured to a window frame or the like, the elongated aperture serving to permit a certain amount of adjustment relative to the fastening means; also integral with the body 8 is a standard i5, and a mounting base I6, the base being disposed at right angles to the plane of the body and having a center part cut away as at H. Apertures l3 and 19 may be provided in the standard l5 and the base It for screws or nails or other fastening means as will be understood.

Between each, wing portion [2 and the body portion '8 and between. the standard 15 and the body portion, the metal (or other material) is out or scored, as indicated at 2! and 22 respectively, preferably to from one-third A3) to onehalf /2) of its thickness or depth thereby to weaken it to permit these portions to be broken from the body'by bending them back and forth relative to the body. The scoring or cutting should be sufficient to permit the several portions to be broken away from one another without serious difficulty or distortion of the body portion or other portions to be retained unaffected but should not so weaken the whole that the final type of bracket desired will fail to support its load or otherwise properly to function. Preferably the scoring is in straight lines and uninterrupted in any line but'variations from these specifications may be effected. Fig. 7 illustrates one type of cut or groove forming the score line.

When the bracket is to be mounted against the trim of a window or door frame in an outside position, it will be mounted on the standard l5 with the base it disposed against the vertical face of the trim, nails or screws being passed through the apertures !9 to secure it in such position. Ordinarily it will be desired to have wing portions l2 remain on the bracket so mounted so that the portions 12 act to guide the shade as it rolls up on the roller and prevent the edges of the shade becoming frayed by contact with the edge of the standard l5 as frequently occurs with brackets of the prior art. However, if desired, they may be removed by breaking them off along the score lines 2i before the bracket is fastened in its destined place. Fig. 5 shows a bracket so denuded of its wings l2 and ready for installation. If, on the other hand, the bracket is to be mounted in an inside position on the window or door frame, the wings i2 will be retained as the means by which the bracket is to be secured and positioned against the frame side. In such case the standard and base portions I5l6 will be broken off by bending them relative to body portion 8 on score line 22 and the resulting bracket will appear as shown in Fig. 6

In certain special cases, as where extra rigidity is needed and the framing structure permits (such as a corner), the wings and standard may be left attached and screws or nails may be driven through apertures l3, l4, l8 and E9 to effect security; alternatively, the wings may be removed and the bracket held in place in a corner by passing securing means through holes i8 and I9 into the framing. Each of the last two mentioned use arrangements is adapted to inside mounting and to a partially outside mounting as where the body portion his to project partly or wholly away from the window or door frame.

The complementary bracket'of Fig. 4 is con-- structed after the manner of the bracket of Figs. 1 to 3, 5 and 6, and is adapted to use in a similar way. The body portion 8 has a central circular boss or bell 9 the center of the bottom of which is struck inwardly as at H to provide a circular opening the marginal bounds of which provide a bearing support for the cylindrical pin of a Wings I2 I2 correspond with the wings roller;

l2, l2 and are detachable along score lines 2E There is also corresponding similarity between standards and bases i5 l6 and iii-I6, and between the several holes or apertures l3 -|4 Il l8* and E9 and ltlfl, ll, l8 and if), respectively. Score line 22 corresponds to score line 22. Therefore, one pair of such complementary brackets may take the place of two pairs of brackets of the ordinary types where one pair may only be used for inside mounting and the other pair only for outside mounting. The resulting savings in material, stocking and use are very substantial.

The invention being susceptible of various modifications and changes in construction for adaptation to other designs and uses, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art, I desire to be the scope limited only by the'invention spirit and of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A shade roller bracket of the character described comprising a body portion having a roller pin receiving and supporting seat, a base portion, a standard portion joining and spacing the body and base portions, oppositely di-' rected wing portions extending laterally out-' disposed at one side of the plane of the body' for supporting and positioning a roller pin, integral wing portions extending laterally outwardly from substantially opposite side edges of the body and disposed in the plane thereof, and a standard extending outwardly from another side edge of the body and integral therewith, said standard portion being disposed in the plane of the body.

3. A shade roller bracket of the characterv described having a body portion formed with a roller pin receiving recess, at least one wing portion attached to and extending laterally outwardly from one edge of and in the plane of the body portion, a standard. portion attached to and extending outwardly from the body portion on another edge thereof, and juncture means of reduced cross sectional area for connecting said wing portion to the body portion for deliberate breakage thereof from the body portion.

4. A sheet metal shade roller bracket of the character described comprising a body having a portion with a roller pin receiving opening therein disposed at one side of the plane of the body, a securing and positioning wing portion extending laterally outwardly from each of substantially opposite sides of said body, first portions of reduced cross sectional area integrally connecting the wing portions to the body, a standard portion extending from the body intermediately of saidwing portions, said standard portion and said wing portion being disposed in a plane common with said body portion a second portion of reduced cross sectional area for integrally connecting the standard portion to the body, said first and second portions shaped to permit deliberate breakage of the respective parts from the body along a sharp line of cleavage, and a securing and positioning base attached to and extending at an angle to said standard portion at a position spaced from the body.

5. A sheet metal shade roller bracket of the character described comprising a body having a roller pin receiving opening therein, a securing and positioning wing portion extending laterally outwardly from one side of and in the plane of said body and integrally connected with the body, a standard portion extending outwardly from another side of said body and integrally connected therewith, and juncture means for connecting said portions to said body, one of said juncture means being sufficiently strong to support the body when said one portion is in a fixed position and at the same time being weakened with respect to the body and said one portion for deliberate breakage of said one portion from the body along a sharp line of cleavage between said portion and the body.

ARTHUR C. BARR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 21,627 Meeker June 21, 1892 1,961,728 Arnest et al June 5, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 20,986 Great Britain Oct. 16, 1905 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,525,513 October 10, 1950 ARTHUR G. BARR It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 4,1ine 61, for the Word short read sharp;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 26th day of December, A. D. 1950.

[SEAL] THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Gammissz'oner of Patents. 

